Child Development: Newborn

Caseworker Core Module VII: Child Development: Implications for Family-Centered Child Protective Services, Written by IHS for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program FINAL – July 2008

Photography provided by Judith S. Rycus PhD, MSW and Jeffrey A. Rycus, MA

The Institute for Human Services, Columbus, Ohio

Copyright 1990. All Rights Reserved.

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How old is this child?

What characteristics do you look

for to determine her age?

Rachel

Her overall appearance is skinny, with “scrawny” arms and

legs and a large, rounded belly. The skinny extremities result

from limited muscle development and are the same even in a

heavier newborn.

Rachel is still "bent” from her position in the womb; her feet

and legs are bowed and turned in; knees are bent up toward the

chest, her arms are close to her body.

An infant's head is about l/4 of the whole body. In adults,

the proportion is approximately l/7. The proportionately large

head size of the newborn results from rapid fetal brain

growth.

Characteristics of a two week old

Rachel's eyes do not focus well at all distances. This gives

her a "glassy-eyed, vacant stare." Newborns can focus at

distances of 8-10 inches at birth, but their eyes aren't as well

focused at other distances until 4-5 weeks.

Most of the infant's movements for the first few weeks are

reflexive. Large muscle activity is often jerky, random, and

very uncoordinated.

Characteristics of a two week old

The newborn infant displays many reflexes, many of which

disappear within a few months. This slide illustrates the

ATNR or asymmetric tonic neck reflex, sometimes called

the "fencing posture." When the infant's head turns to one

side, the arm on that side of the body extends, and the arm

on the opposite side bends up toward the ear. This is normal

for a newborn. Persistence of this reflex beyond a few

months may indicate developmental problems, such as

cerebral palsy.

Characteristics of a Newborn

Other reflexes are the grasping reflex when the child will

reflexively close his hand around an object placed in his

palm; the sucking reflex when the child will turn his head

toward an object brushing his cheek and will make sucking

movements with his mouth; a startle reflex and a babinski

reflex, an extension of the foot when the bottom is stroked.

Other Reflexes of a Newborn

Healthy newborns exhibit a lot of gross

motor activity with active movement of

arms and legs. Most of this movement is

reflexive, and therefore rough,

random, unrefined, and

uncoordinated.

Some developmental theorists thought

that infants were born as "blank slates."

Recent research has demonstrated this is

not true. Infants have many abilities.

Newborn Movement

They can see. They like to look at things with high stimulus value, such as

contrasting colors, and patterns. They delight in looking at human faces. They see

best at a distance of 8-10 inches, which is the approximate distance between a

nursing infant and the mother's face.

Infants hear well, even in utero. They orient to sounds by turning in the direction of

the sound. They recognize voices of their significant caretakers within a few days of

birth.

Their senses of touch, smell, and taste are also developed. When they are fed sour

or salty foods, they'll grimace and make faces. They like to be touched. Newborns

are often more comfortable when their skin is covered, and often times will settle

down better when wrapped tightly in a blanket.

Newborn Abilities

Lying in the "fetal position" is

a common posture for the

first few weeks of life. Rachel

is "drowsy" in this slide. You

can see the vacant stare

and apparent lack of interest

in her surroundings.

Newborn Fetal Position

The infant's head control is limited due

to lack of muscle development. The

back and neck muscles are not strong

enough to support her head, and it will

wobble if not supported. However, all

newborns should be able to lift and turn

their faces to the side, like Rachel is

doing, when placed face down. This

prevents suffocation. Hypotonic infants

(with very poor muscle tone) are often

not able to do this.

Newborn Head Up

The newborn's legs will not support any

weight. Instead, when her foot touches

the ground you see the "stepping

reflex," a reflexive withdrawal of one leg

and an extension of the other leg. The

baby looks like she is "walking in air."

Notice that even this very young infant

is showing interest in the photographer

and is making visual contact. You'll see

this evidence of early cognitive

development throughout these slides.

Newborn “Standing”

Susan is five weeks old. In this picture you can

see the development of muscle control. The

first muscles to develop strength and control

are those of the head, neck and shoulders,

following the "cephalocaudal" pattern. Susan

can raise her head and shoulders off the floor.

Notice that her hands are fisted. The infant's

hands will be fisted most often when the infant

is at rest during the first 3-4 months of life.

Newborn On Stomach

Here Susan’s arms fly up above

her head in a jerking motion,

and she arches back, in a

reflexive reaction to a loud

noise. This reaction is the Moro

or startle reflex, which

disappears after several weeks.

Newborn Arms Up

By five weeks, Susan’s eyes are

well focused. She can keep an

object in view as it moves

from the periphery (edges) of

her visual field…

Newborn Visual Tracking

... to the "midline," which is an

imaginary line that transects

the center of the body from

head to toe. Following an object

with the eyes is called

"tracking." At five weeks, Susan

can track to the midline, but

she cannot track through the

midline to the other side of her

visual field.

Newborn Focusing

Attachment between a mom and her baby is

visible in the way the mother holds, cuddles,

and responds to the baby's needs.

The attachment process satisfies to both the

parent and the infant. The baby's needs for

security and comfort are met; the parent's

feelings of love and competence increase

when the baby "moulds," or conforms

comfortably into their arms and quiets. The

baby's first smile strengthens the

attachment.

Attachment: Mom & Infant

Attachment responses are instinctive between most parents and their

infants. They should not, however, be taken for granted. Some

parents who never developed strong attachments as children may

not recognize these cues, but they can often be trained to do so.

Attachment: Mom & Infant

One of the signs of healthy

attachment is when the parent

engages the infant in the "en face"

position. In this position, the baby

can easily gaze at the parent's

face and maintain direct eye

contact.

Newborn En Face

Brothers and sisters also

form strong attachments

to the baby. Renee and

Raymond were trying to

comfort 7-week old Toya.

Newborns and Siblings

A special emotional connection that

infants develop with their caregivers

during the first year of life.

Attachment

“Infant attachment refers to the earliest enduring social and emotional

relationships very young children develop with significant people in their

lives.. The propensity for attachment is a fundamental, inborn trait.” (Rycus,

1998) that ensures the survival of infants, who depend on caregivers for their

care and nurturing.

Attachment has three components: an enduring emotional relationship

with a specific person; the presence of that person provides a sense of

security, comfort and pleasure; and the loss or threat of loss of that person

evokes intense distress (Perry 2002 found in Putnam 2006).

Attachment has Three Components

Sense of trust The infant develops a fundamental sense of trust in his caretakers and in his environment when they provide security and safety, and meet his developmental needs. This has a profound effect on the child’s ability to form and maintain healthy inter-personal relationships, and on his “world view”.

Development of language. “Social interaction between infants and their caretakers stimulates the development of verbal and non-verbal communication” (Rycus, 1998 pages 684-685). Nurturing responses to the baby’s cries reinforce his attempts to communicate.

Attachment is Critical to Developing:

Emotional development During infancy parents are engaged in co-regulation of emotions – when they soothe, comfort, and calm their babies. This eventually helps the child learn to modulate his emotions and control his impulses.

Development of social skills Social and playful interactions with caretakers and siblings promote such skills as sharing, cooperation, negotiation, recognition of emotions. Furthermore, secure attachment promotes the child’s identification with social norms and values (Putnam, 2003).

Attachment is Critical to Developing:

Self-esteem Healthy attachment helps develop self-esteem. “Through relationships with others he learns that he is valued, worthwhile, and wanted. He is positively reinforced by the affection, and protection he receives from caregivers.” (Rycus, 1998 pages 684-685). Additionally, the infant develops a fundamental sense of self-efficacy when he cries and his needs are met.

Sense of security Proximity to caretakers reduces stress, and affords a sense of security

Attachment is Critical to Developing:

Self-reliance and autonomy “The secure emotional base derived from healthy attachment promotes exploration, experimentation, and the development of self-confidence and self-reliance.

Cognitive development Play, interaction, and appropriate stimulation from primary caregivers promote early cognitive development. Safe base exploration of the environment promotes cognitive development.

Attachment is Critical to Developing:

Attachment develops over time, and is reciprocal. The

parent’s caretaking behaviors (holding, cooing, feeding, etc)

and the infant’s responses to the parent (smiling, relaxing,

becoming quiet) strengthen the attachment between parent

and child. Engaging the child in play and other pleasurable

experiences also promotes attachment.

Children develop the strongest attachments to caregivers

who are sensitive and quickly responsive to their needs.

Attachment Develops Over Time

Although specific attachment assessments must be

conducted by psychologists or social workers who

specialize in attachment issues, caseworkers can gain a

general sense of the nature of attachment by observing

the following: (Field Guide to Child Welfare)

•Whether the parent accurately recognizes the child’s

cues of distress and need, and quickly intervenes to

provide comfort and remove stress.

•Whether the parent provides the child with stimulation

and initiates playful social interaction.

Assessing Attachment

• Whether the parent provides the child with contact comfort and closeness.

• Whether the child seeks proximity to the parent, and approaches the

parent for reassurance when distressed, or in need of comfort or

reassurance.

• Whether the child can directly communicate needs.

• Whether the infant can obtain comfort or reassurance when needed, from

the parent, and then return to play.

• Whether the child and parent generally enjoy each other’s company

Assessing Attachment (cont’d)

This concludes the Childe Development Newborn module.

Thank you for participating!

Child Development Newborn Summary

Extra Slides

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